TRUE CRIME NEWSNick Reiner’s Family Skips Court Hearing One Day After His 33rd Birthday Behind Bars
Nick Reiner’s family has cut him off financially.
Sept. 16 2026, Published 11:02 a.m. ET
No members of the Reiner family were present in the Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday, September 15, when Nick Reiner appeared for a pretrial hearing in connection with two counts of first-degree murder for the December 2025 stabbing deaths of his parents, legendary Hollywood director Rob Reiner and producer/photographer Michele Singer Reiner.
The appearance took place just one day after his 33rd birthday, which he spent incarcerated at a Los Angeles lockup.
Nick appeared in a brown jail uniform, looking healthier and notably more stable than previous reports of his "rapidly deteriorating" state suggested. Observers noted he was calm and answered "Yes" when Judge Sam Ohta asked if he understood his waiver of a speedy trial.
None of Nick Reiner's family members were in court when it was announced that he will not face the death penalty.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office officially announced that prosecutors will not seek the death penalty if he is convicted. He now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene represented Nick. High-profile defense attorney Alan Jackson previously had to withdraw from the case because he lacked defense funds, as Nick is fighting a separate probate court battle to access a $1.6 million trust fund that his parents established for him as a child.
Nick Reiner Is Trying to Access His Trust Fund
Nick Reiner is accused of fatally stabbing his parents in December 2025.
Nick's legal team filed a petition arguing that he is contractually entitled to the money because the trust dictated a mandatory payout when he turned 30 — three years before the homicides took place. He argues he needs the money to cover his legal expenses and re-hire Alan.
The professional fiduciary overseeing the trust, Jodi Pais Montgomery, has blocked the payout.
Backed by a petition from Nick's surviving siblings (who withdrew their own financial support for his defense), the trustee cites California's "slayer statute." This law prevents individuals from financially inheriting or benefiting from a person they "feloniously and intentionally" kill.
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Nick Reiner has struggled with substance abuse and mental illness for years.
The defense maintains that Nick is innocent until proven guilty.
However, the trustee argues that if the court releases the money now and Nick is later convicted, the funds will be permanently gone and unrecoverable.
A judge has scheduled the next formal probate hearing regarding the trust fund for October 23.
Nick Reiner Pleaded Not Guilty
Nick Reiner is trying to access a trust fund his late parents set up for him to pay his legal fees, but his siblings are trying to block it from happening.
Nick pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. He is accused of fatally stabbing his parents on December 14 at their home in Brentwood, Calif. He remains in custody without bail as the legal proceedings move forward. Nick has struggled with mental illness and substance abuse for years, with reports claiming his medication for schizoaffective disorder changed prior to the tragedy.
The next immediate criminal court battle centers on whether to unseal the secret grand jury transcripts, which contain the specific evidence and testimony used to indict Nick.
Nick's siblings, Jake and Romy Reiner, have vehemently opposed making them public to prevent further trauma. Judge Ohta will hear formal arguments on the transcript issue in October.
